DC New 52 – The Definitive Collecting Guide

A comprehensive guide to every title in DC Comics’ New 52 relaunch, from 2011 to 2015 and how they can be read via omnibuses, hardcovers, and trade paperbacks. Part of Crushing Krisis’s Crushing Comics. Last updated March 2016 with titles scheduled for release through June 2017.

In 2011, DC Comics did something radical – something they hadn’t done for 25 years: they rebooted their entire line of titles. Just as their original continuity reset came in the wake of the Crisis on Infinite Earths event, this one followed another massive event – Flashpoint.

As with the original Crisis reboot, not every aspect of every title was altered. The popular, long-running Green Lanterns story by Geoff Johns remained largely intact, as did Batman’s history with its multiple Robin’s. Yet, the history of DC’s Universe was condensed to the past five years, which saw some historical events reimagined – like Batman’s first meeting with Superman.

This new status quo launched to massive sales and customer interest, but over time meandering creative direction saw many titles flagging in their third and fourth years. With fan interest waning, DC chose to end New 52 just shy of its fifth birthday as the original launch titles reached their 52nd issues.

The next reboot was anything but a reset – DC Rebirth integrated New 52 stories and logic into DC’s pre-Flashpoint history.

This page contains every title from the New 52 period, regardless of if they carried the New 52 branding. The titles are arranged into line groups, as outlined directly below. Alternately, you can browse an index of titles in order of launch at the bottom of the page.

Note that one-shots have been condensed into their parent title – as with Wonder Woman: Futures End appearing under Wonder Woman.

Annual Events: Starting with the launch of New 52 in September 2011, each September DC executed a major, line-wide event.

#17: This is a key Death in the Family issue and is collected widely with other tie-ins, including Batgirl, Vol. 3: Death of the Family (hardcover / paperback), Batman and Robin, Vol. 03: Death of the Family (hardcover / paperback), Nightwing, Vol. 03: Death of the Family; Red Hood and The Outlaws, Vol. 3: Death of the Family; and Teen Titans, Vol. 03: Death of the Family

Batman: Europa #1-4 (2016)

Four issue limited series written by Brian Azzarello and Matteo Casali with art by Giuseppe Camuncoli and a secondary team-up artist on three pf the issues – Jim Lee on #1, Diego Latorre on #3, and Gerald Parel on #4. A Director’s Cut of #1 included “unwrapped” pencils-only art.

Written by Grant Morrison and drawn primarily by Chris Burnham, Incorporated directly continues the Grant Morrison Batman saga that was ongoing from the era of Final Crisis.

First, there was a early 2011 volume that pre-dated New 52 but introduced the wide Bat-cast we’d see (including the debut of Batwing). This initial story ended in the debut month of New 52 and was completed by Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes! in February 2012 (which would have originally been issues #9-10).Then, the title relaunched in July 2012, with Morrison writing through #10 before being relieved by Burnham.

in premium format editions…

Vol. 1 #1-8, Leviathan Strikes, Vol. 2 #0-13:Absolute Batman Incorporated
Collects all of the issues from both volumes of the series, including Leviathan Strikes and the Volume 2 Special. Part of a line-up of all of Morrison’s Batman collected in Absolute editions.

Bat Books: Batman’s Extended Cast

Arkham Manor #1-6 (2014 – 2015)

Batgirl, Volume 4 #1-52, 0, & Annuals 1-3 (2011 – 2016)

This title launched with some controversy, as it saw Barbara Gordon returned to her role as Batgirl after decades as the iconic, wheelchair-bound Oracle in Birds of Prey. However, written by longtime write and fan Gail Simone, the book managed to acknowledge and resolve her change in status.

When Simone’s run ended, the book transformed from an adventurous bat-book to an indie-style, school-focused romp written by Brenden Fletcher and Cameron Stewart and referred to as “Batgirl of Burnside” that was massively popular with fans.

#14-19 & Annual 1: Batgirl Volume 3: Death of the Family (hardcover / paperback)
Also includes Batman (2011) #17 and material from Young Romance: The New 52 Valentine’s Day Special (2013) #1. Annual 1 is also collected in Birds Of Prey (2011) Volume 3: A Clash of Daggers

Batwing #1-34 & 0 (2011 – 2014)

Launched by Judd Winick and later written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti. After the end of this series, Batwing appears in several issues of the weekly Batman Eternal (2014), including #15-17, 29-32, 37, 44-45, 47-50, & 52.

This series was launched by co-authors J. H. Williams and William Blackman, with JHW alternating arcs of his stunning, art nouveau inspired art. The pair walked off the book abruptly after a dispute with DC editorial over their interference with the team’s long-term plots, including the intrusive nature of the Villain’s Month event and the status of Batwoman’s same-sex relationship.

Writer Marc Andreyko picked up the book from there, and despite some early positive notes the end of the title is generally reviled by fans. Batwoman would later appear in #23-26 of Batman and Robin Eternal.

Catwoman, Volume 4 #1-52, 0, & Annual 1-2 (2011 – 2016)

Launched by Judd Winick, but taken over by Ann Nocenti with #13 and 0 joined by Rafa Sandoval on pencils through the mid-20s and then Pat Olliffe. Genevieve Valentine writes from #35 to 46, with Frank Tieri taking the book across the finish line.

#9-13: Harley Quinn Volume 2: Power Outage (hardcover / paperback)
Collects Harley Quinn Invades Comic-Con International: San Diego (2014) #1, a story from Secret Origins (2014) #4, and Harley Quinn: Futures End (2014), the latter of which is also collected in the Futures End Omnibus.

Cyborg, Volume 1 #1-12 (2015 – 2016)

The Flash, Volume 4 #1-52, 0, 23.1-3, Annuals 1-4 (2011 – 2016)

Written by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccelato through #25, and often colored and drawn by them, respectively. Buccelato skips #26 (written by Christos Gage) and then writes through #29 before Van Jensen and Robert Venditti take over through the end of the series.

#23-1-3: The New 52 Villains Omnibus
Additionally: All three issues are in the Manapul/Buccellato Omnibus, above. #23.2 (Reverse Flash) is also in Volume 4, above. #23.3 (The Rogues) is collected in Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion with their Forever Evil series. #23.1 (Grodd) is not collected elsewhere in a standard-size volume.

Martian Manhunter, Volume 4 #1-12 (2015 – 2016)

Wonder Woman #1-52, 0, 23.1-2, & Annual 1 (2011 – 2016)

This 52-issue series was written by just two authors. Brian Azzarello penned a serious and sometimes-controversial run from #1-36 mostly with artist artist Cliff Chiang, with Meredith Finch taking over writing duties with #37.

#1-6: Justice League, Vol. 1: Origin (hardcover / paperback)
One of the first stories in the New 52 continuity, this is a flashback to five years prior to the present day – just after most heroes emerged in the world. It shows the first meeting of the entire team save for Green Lantern and Flash, who have met before. This is a fun, fast-paced story that re-establishes the character interactions of the team. Issue #1 is also collected in DC Comics: The New 52 Omnibus. Issue is is also collected in Batman vs. Superman: The Greatest Battles.

#7-12 (lead stories): Justice League Vol. 2: The Villain’s Journey (hardcover / paperback)
The League is dismantled by the man who made them famous, and Steve Trevor is key to his plans for their downfall!

Justice League Dark #1-40, 0, 23.1-2, & Annual 1-2 (2011 – 2015)

#7-13, 0, & Annual 1:Justice League Dark, Vol. 2: The Books of Magic
Though they are not included in this collection, Vampire #6 is a prologue to JLD #7, which continues into I, Vampire #7, which is resolved in #8. Annual 1 continues to 14. Issue #0 is also collected in The New 52 Zero Omnibus

Lanterns Titles

The Green Lantern line continues from their pre-New 52 continuity with seemingly no pause or alteration.

Green Lantern, Volume 5 #1-52, 0, 23.1-4, Annual 1-4 (2011 – 2016)

The series continues the story from the Green Lantern (2005) directly – almost without a pause to acknowledge the switch to New 52! Launched by longtime writer Geoff Johns, with Robert Venditti taking over with #21 through the end of the series.

Omega Men, Volume 3 #1-12 (2015 – 2016)

Sinestro #1-23 & Annual 1 (2014 – 2016)

Written by Cullen Bunn.

as originally collected…

#1-5:Sinestro Volume 1: The Demon Within
Also collects Green Lantern (2011) #23.4 (Sinestro) and Sinestro: Futures End (2014) #1, the latter of which is also collected in also collected in Futures End Omnibus.

Superman Family Titles

These titles feature the “Superman Family” of characters. Superman’s marriage with Lois Lane never happened, he is a bachelor, and his adoptive parents Jonathan and Martha Kent have died. Storylines will emphasize his alien nature and how it isolates him from humanity.[48][49][50]

Batman/Superman #1-32 & Annual 1-2 (2013 – 2016)

Launched by writer Greg Pak, who stayed with the title until the denouement leading into Rebirth, which was handled by Tom Taylor and Peter Tomasi. The title launched with Jae Lee on covers and interiors, who lasted through its first year alternating with Brett Booth and other artists. Ardian Syaf contributes a run on pencils on the latter of the title.

This book was edited by the Superman office and generally aligned better to Superman’s ongoing plots than to Batman’s.

#19-24: Superman – Action Comics Volume 4: Hybrid (hardcover / paperback)
Also collects material from Young Romance: The New 52 Valentine’s Day Special (2013) #1. #24 begins the Psi-War story that continues directly to Superman (2011) #24. Annual 2 continues to #25, but also to Supergirl and Superboy #25.

Superman, Volume 3 #1-52, 0, 23.1-4, & Annuals 1-3 (2011 – 2016)

Launched by writer George Pérez, followed by Keith Giffen and classic Superman author Dan Jurgens on #7-12. Scott Lobdell writes from #0 & 13-31 (except #24), with DC architect Geoff Johns taking over through #39 for penciller John Romita Jr – drawing Superman for the first time. The title was then written by Gene Luen Yangwith issue #41, writer of the acclaimed American Born Chinese.

Superman: The Coming of the Supermen #1-6 (2016)

Superman Unchained #1-9 (2013 – 2015)

Launched as in in-demand, all-star team-up between Scott Snyder and Jim Lee (with epilogues and flashbacks by Dustin Nguyen), it took more than half a year to get from issue #1 to #2, but then the title proceeded at a normal pace.

Superman/Wonder Woman #1-29 & Annual 1-2 [+ 30-31] (2013 – 2016)

Launched by writer Charles Soule, with Peter Tomasi writing from #13 to the end of the series. Issues #30-31 were completed but not published in single issue form – they appear only in collections! Justice League #12-14 are a suitable prologue to this run, as they introduce the relationship between Wonder Woman and Superman.

#28-29: Superman: The Final Days of Superman (hardcover / paperback)A crossover between the final two issues of all four Superman books: Action Comics (2011) #51-52, Batman/Superman (2013) #31-32, Superman (2011) #51-52, and Superman/Wonder Woman (2013) #28-31

Superboy #1-34, 0, & Annual 1 (2011 – 2014)

This title was launched by Scott Lobdell with frequent cowrites by Tom DeFalco, who took over with #12. Justin Jordan takes over #20, with Mar Wolfman and Aaron Kuder finishing the run. R.B. Silva provides pencils throughout the series with a few breaks through #21.

Supergirl, Volume 6 #1-40 & 0 (2011 – 2015)

Launched by writers Mike Johnson (through #17) with Michael Green (through #11) and mostly drawn by Mahmud Asrar through #17, before changing hands through writers Michael Alan Nelson andTony Bedard before Johnson returns at #36 to wrap up with Kate Perkins. After her series ends, Supergirl appears in the back half of Convergence before disappearing until The Final Days of Superman arc that ends the Superman titles prior to Rebirth.

Part of “The Edge” launch line. The original launch was written by Kyle Higgins, but Rob Liefeld took over at #9-14, with Justin Jordan completing the volume. After a break for Forever Evil and appearances in the weekly Futures End series, The second edition was launched by by Tony Daniel, with James Bonny joining as a cowriter with #7 and takes over solo with #14.

Doctor Fate, Volume 4 #1-18 (2015 – 2017)

Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1-16 & 0 (2011 – 2013)

Part of “The Dark” launch line, this delightfully twisted series imagines Frankenstein as the gruff leader of a team of supernatural mercenaries sent to stymie the world’s most horrific threats. Written by Jeff Lemire at launch and by Matt Kindt from #10 onward.

Green Arrow, Volume 5 #1-52, 0, 23.1, & Annual 1 (2011 – 2016)

This title experienced a bumpy ride to reach its full #52 issues, undergoing a number of transformations motivated both by writer changes and the increasing popularity of the Arrow television show.

Launched by J. T. Krul and Dan Jurgens, Ann Nocenti took over at #6, and was in turn relieved by Jeff Lemire at #17 with artist Andrea Sorrentino (fresh off of I, Vampire). Lemire and Sorrentino delivered a run that was an instant hit with fans – one of the few breakouts from the middle years of New 52. Writers Andrew Kreisberg and Ben Sokolowski take over from #35, with Benjamin Percy relieving them at #41 to steer the series to its end.

#14-16 & 0:Green Arrow Volume 3: Harrow
Also collects Justice League (2011) #8 and The Savage Hawkman (2011) #14. #14 continues to Continues in Deathstroke #14 and The Savage Hawkman #14 as part of the “Hawkman: Wanted” storyline. Issue #0 is also collected in The New 52 Zero Omnibus.

#8-12 & 0:Resurrection Man Volume 2: A Matter of Life and Death
Also collects Suicide Squad (2011) #9, which continues from Resurrection Man #8 and to #9. (In turn, #9 is collected with Suicide Squad (2011) Volume 2.) Issue #0 is also collected in The New 52 Zero Omnibus

Resurrection Man does not appear again in New 52 after #0 of his series.

The Savage Hawkman #1-20 & 0 (2011 – 2013)

Witten by Tony Daniel with Jim Bonny for issues #1-8, then plotted by Rob Liefeld and written by Frank Tieri.

Part of “The Dark” launch line. Launched by writer Scott Snyder and artists Yanick Paquette and Marco Rudy. Charles Soule took over at #19 and wrote the series to its end, with Jesus Saiz and Javier Pina alternating on art.

Worlds’ Finest #1-32, 0, & Annual 1 (2012 – 2015)

Written by Paul Levitz, this title will starred the Earth 2 versions of The Huntress (continued from her mini-series) and Power Girl stuck on the main New 52 earth through #29, at which point the final arc shifts to focus on Earth 2 Batman and Superman.

Stormwatch, Volume 3 #1-30 (2011 – 2014)

Part of “The Edge” launch line, this New 52 iteration of the WildStorm launch property bears no resemblance to the original 1992 Stormwatch. It’s much more based on a post-Authority version of the team.

Launched by writer Paul Cornell, who penned only the first arc, followed by a fill-in by Paul Jenkins and then with Peter Milligan taking over from #8 to 18 (mostly drawn by Wil Conrad). In a surprise turn, #19-30 was written by Cosmic Marvel engineer Jim Starlin (with pencils by Yvel Guichet)!

Part of “The Edge” launch line. Launched by writer Adam Glass, with a decidedly indie bent with Ales Kot on #20-23 and Matt Kindt writing #24-29, and incoming writer Sean Kelly penning #30 before launching New Suicide Squad, which had some late stories by Tim Seeley

Finally, a Suicide Squad spotlight series launched in support of the film with a focus on Deadshot and Katana; further one-shots were released firmly within the period of Rebirth and is collected in El Diablo and Secret Files volumes.

Team 7 #0-8 (2012 – 2013)

Part of “The Edge” line. Written by Justin Jordan, this old-school WildStorm title was used to tie together WildStorm heroes like Grifter with similar DC mercenaries like Deathstroke … and Amanda Waller.

Then, the Titans Hunt maxi-series from writer Dan Abnett ran alongside the main Teen Titans series and served as a bridge from story concepts in the Convergence event to Rebirth. A single issue, DC Comics Presents: Titans Hunt 100-Page Super Spectacular (2016), reprinted key Silver Age stories that were referenced in the series.

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1-6 (2012)

Continues a 2011 pre-New 52 series reviving the 1960s Tower Comics brand that was collected in T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents Volume 1. Not to be confused with a 2014 IDW volume of the same name.

#1-6: Not collected

Other New 52 Titles

Titles that do not star a single hero or duo or heroes and are not centered around a traditional team with their name in the title.

All Star Western #1-34 & 0 (2011 – 2014)

Part of “The Edge” launch line, this Jonah Hex vehicle was written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray and largely drawn by Moritat. There have been two volumes of “All-Star Western,” but this title technically did not include the hyphen in its indicia and so is not a volume 3.

Then, tie-in books were broken across four themes, with two books for each theme:

Convergence: Crisis featured a number of Pre-Crisis and Earth 0 and Earth 1 characters. Book 1 collected Adventures of Superman, Batman and the Outsiders, Green Lantern Corps, Hawkman, and Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (2015). Book 2 collected Flash, Justice League of America, New Teen Titans, Swamp Thing, and Wonder Woman.

Dial H #1-15 & 0 (2012 – 2013)

This revisiting of “Dial H for Hero” was launched as part of “The Dark” line of slightly more offbeat books. Written by China Tom Miéville and drawn by Mateus Santoluoco, David Lapham, and Alberto Ponticelli.

Titles launched beginning with #0 issues in September 2012 (with cover dates of November), following the cancellations of Captain Atom, Justice League International, Resurrection Man, and Voodoo after their first year.

Titles launched beginning in January 2013 and through March, following the cancellation of Blue Beetle; Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.; G.I. Combat; Grifter; and Legion Lost. Also, the long-running Vertigo title Hellblazer was cancelled to make way for a new, firmly-in-continuity Constantine.

Titles launched from April 2014 to October 2014, following the cancellation of Justice League of America’s Vibe, Katana, Batman: The Dark Knight, Talon, Green Team: Teen Trillionaires, Larfleeze, The Movement and Stormwatch. Also, ended as planned were Animal Man, Nightwing, Suicide Squad and Teen Titans. Finally Justice League of America erelaunched as Justice League United.

Titles launched In November and December 2014. Cancelled series in this period included All-Star Western, Birds of Prey, Trinity of Sin: Pandora, Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger, Batwing, Superboy, and Superman Unchained.

The cancelled series as part of the ninth wave were Aquaman and the Others, Arkham Manor, Batman and Robin, Batwoman, Constantine, Earth 2, Green Lantern Corps, Green Lantern: New Guardians, Star-Spangled War Stories Featuring G.I. Zombie, Infinity Man and the Forever People, Justice League 3000, Justice League Dark, Klarion, Red Lanterns, Red Hood and the Outlaws, Secret Origins, Supergirl, Swamp Thing, Trinity of Sin, and Worlds’ Finest. In addition, Batman Eternal, Earth 2: World’s End, and The New 52: Futures End all ended with their last issues (#52, #26, and #48 respectively) in order to set up the events of Convergence. The Multiversity’s final issue will occur during the Convergence event, but does not appear to be directly tied into the event.

[…] Despite Rebirth launching in July of 2016, not all of DC’s New 52 era of titles ceased all at once. As a result, we’ll be seeing some trailing New 52 collections as far out as summer of 2017 – plus, new deluxe collections of the most popular New 52 material! For a comprehensive list of ever New 52 title, see the DC Comics New 52 Guide. […]

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